Is Maurizio Sarri the Right Manager to Bring Lazio Back to the Top? | OneFootball

Maurizio Sarri is once again Lazio’s manager. The tactician from Tuscany will sit on the bench to begin the 2025/2026 season, after the club concluded its partnership with Marco Baroni.

The commander, as Sarri is nicknamed, left Lazio one year ago, in 2024, due to a mix of on-field and off-field problems. His decision to go back to Rome, instead of signing with Fiorentina, which was actively pursuing him, shows that whatever the problems were, they have been solved.

The Fanbase’s Reactions

Maurizio Sarri’s return to Lazio has sparked fervent debate among fans and pundits. Many are wondering if the seasoned tactician can restore the Biancocelesti to their former glory.

Known for his possession-based “Sarriball” philosophy, the former Napoli and Chelsea boss brings a wealth of experience, but his challenge is steep. Lazio comes off a disappointing mid-table finish in Serie A, even if the first part of their season has been egregious. Supporters are eager to see if Sarri’s meticulous approach can unlock the potential of stars like Taty Castellanos and Mattia Zaccagni, who underperformed while navigating the competitive landscape of Italian football.

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The club planned the move ahead. Once they saw Baroni struggle and lose positions, towards the end of last season, they immediately raised the phone to contact Maurizio Sarri. In one day (the 2nd of June) the two switched sides. The new coach proposes an offensive game. His teams are quite spectacular to watch, but they usually don’t defend as well as they attack. Obviously, this is a reason for concern.

Will Sarri Bring the Biancocelesti Back in Europe?

The Italian Serie A is not easy to read during these first weeks of summer. Napoli is clearly the team to beat, because they just won the championship and are looking for top players on the market, in order to play their part in the UEFA Champions League. Inter Milan is a very good side, but they lost their manager and will play under Cristian Chivu, who has never coached at a high level. Juventus, Milan, Roma and Atalanta are good, but not very good, and Lazio can play its cards against these teams.

Claudio Lotito and Angelo Fabiani are already working to bring new players to the Capital, but, as usual, they won’t overspend. Among the hot names we have Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Federico Bonini, Saba Goglichidze, Mathias Kvistgaarden, Faustino Anjorin and Andrei Ratiu. These players seem like the easiest to land, because they don’t cost a lot, are young and talented. Thus, they perfectly fit the profile Lazio loves. Then there are heavier names, such as Gedson Fernandes, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Giacomo Raspadori or Emerson Palmieri. They will sign maybe a couple of these, but it’s more probable to see only one of them with the Lazio jersey next season, if any.

A lot will depend on how many players they will lose on the market. There are some rumoured departures, for example, Mario Gila, Danilo Cataldi, and Valentin Castellanos. In the last seasons, Lazio have always managed to stay competitive, year after year, even without keeping their brightest superstars (Ciro Immobile and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic weren’t properly replaced, but the team nonetheless fought for a European spot). The fans are expecting something more, and the front office seems disposed to accede to this request. A lot, however, will ride on Sarri, his strategies and the tactics he will devise.